Infrastructuring Cyberspace: Exploring China’s Imaginary and Practices of Selective Connectivity

Abstract: Connectivity and fragmentation coexist as two interlinked discourses on the relationship between infrastructures and societies. In response to the Digital Silk Road initiated by the Chinese government, Chinese companies have built numerous digital infrastructures globally. Simultaneously, China's government seeks to strengthen domestic internet governance through laws and administrative regulations, such as the Cyber Security Law. This paper utilises the interpretive framework of "sociotechnical imaginaries" to explore the controversial tension between digital fragmentations and connectivity in cyberspace along technical, institutional and political dimensions. Scrutinising two cases studies - New IP and smart city - the study finds that China's approach to infrastructuring cyberspace can be best understood as selective connectivity. China not only integrates into global cyber infrastructures to enhance its technological and regulatory capabilities, but also attempts to reshape glo

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• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Veröffentlichungsversion ; begutachtet (peer reviewed) ; In: International Quarterly for Asian Studies (IQAS) ; 53 (2022) 3 ; 413-439

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Politik

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Mannheim
• (who): SSOAR, GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften e.V.
• (when): 2022
• Creator: Huang, Ying ; Huppenbauer, Nicolas ; Mayer, Maximilian

Further information

• DOI: 10.11588/iqas.2022.3.13947
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2406280704435.889755132125
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.